The Emerging 4G Networks

Many thanks to Ward 4 Candidate Sandy McConkey who dropped this Globe and Mail article off to me yesterday morning.  It is a fascinating story of urban versus rural internet providers and the emerging 4G network technology. 

While Rogers is the first urban provider to establish 4G wireless technology, Barrett Xplore Inc. is building its own 4G Wi-Max network to serve rural households.  The estimate is that by the end of 2012, Xplornet's 4G Wi-Max network will reach 2.5 million rural households across Canada.

This makes me giddy but cautious.  I will contact Xplornet to see what the time estimates are for bringing the improved technology to our area of Springwater.

"Currently, the network maxes out at 8 megabits per second (mbps), while the new 4G network can attain speeds of 40 mbps - a number that should more than double to 100 mbps by 2011."

Thank you Sandy for bringing this to our attention!